Worthwhile
by Dollop-o-Daisy
Summary: "The polluted air surrounding them needed to be cleared, and their faltering friendship needed to be fixed before it had the chance to break." After an awful night at the Ember Island Theatre, Aang and Katara's relationship is on the brink of destruction. A much-needed talk is in order, and it won't be easy for either of them.


**Again this has been done before, but the idea's been nagging at me forever. Like everyone else, I wish we'd seen Aang and Katara fix their relationship after the play, and I won't not believe that they didn't xD So this is my version of how they attempted to get their friendship back on track after their awful confrontation during the play's intermission. **

**I'm also currently planning a sequel to Reunion, which I'll get to work on now that I'm finally done with this one. Enjoy! ****Don't forget to review, I thrive on them. /drools**

**Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

He'd really screwed up this time, hadn't he?

There was no way he was going to get any sleep tonight. Not with all his current stress doubled thanks to an awful night at the Ember Island Theatre, where he and his friends had watched an awful play which had blatantly mocked everything they'd had been through together – right up until their inevitable humiliating defeat after finally facing the Fire Lord at the very end.

Considering their current situation, that was the last thing any of them had wanted to see. It had been insulting and upsetting for all of them, and now they just wanted to forget all about it and pretend it'd never happened.

But beyond that, another worry was plaguing his already troubled mind. The pure bitter fact that he'd royally screwed up his and Katara's relationship.

After seeing the actors playing her and Zuko act out an affair behind his back on stage (and Katara's actress claim the Avatar was "like a little brother" to her), it'd just been too much for him. A mixture of jealousy and bitterness of the fact that he'd never be anything more had angered and upset him to the point of forcing him to get away from the play as quickly as possible and try his hardest to clear it from his mind. Which was, of course, impossible.

Katara had come looking for him, and had found him alone on the balcony. He'd told her what had been bothering him for a while that had suddenly been brought to light thanks to the play, which had only been a cruel reminder.

He had been hoping they'd be together after he'd kissed her before the invasion, but they weren't. And he'd asked why with a confrontation that could've been handled better.

Especially after he'd decided to kiss her again.

Just the thought of his blatant stupidity brought horrible anger and embarrassment to his mind, and made him want to bash his head against the wall repeatedly. But the truth was, he just couldn't stop himself. He loved her and had yearned to kiss her again for so long now.

Still, he really should've known that "I'm confused" didn't mean, "please kiss me so I can stop being confused and love you". As much as he wished it had done, the harsh reality was that it hadn't. And now he was suffering for it.

The airbender was lying face-down on his bed in the Fire Lord's villa, burying his tear-stained cheeks into his pillow after what had seemed like hours of pathetic crying and harsh insomnia. Whether they were together or not, Katara's friendship meant the world to him, and he was pretty sure he'd completely ruined it and everything they'd been through together thanks to one moment of impulse.

What an absolute _idiot_.

Groaning as he got to his feet, Aang decided he needed to get some air as quickly as possible. The inside of the building was just too stuffy for him. He quietly tiptoed out onto the landing, passing Sokka and Suki's room first. The Water Tribe warrior was snoring like a herd of wild boarcupines, causing Aang to wonder how Suki could possibly put up with it. That was love, he supposed. Being able to deal with those things and see past them.

Just at that thought, he realised he was passing Katara's room, and winced as he did so. Walking as quietly as he could on his bare silent feet, he went down the stairs and out into the courtyard. The cool night air was welcoming and relaxing in comparison to the humid warmth of the building, and almost cleared the swirling storm clouds out of his head. Almost.

He stopped at the top of the stone steps and sat down, instantly taking up his meditating position. His legs were neatly folded, his knuckles pushed together, his breathing steadying as his eyes closed tightly.

He wasn't sure how much this was going to help, but it was worth a try.

* * *

Katara was sitting up on her own bed, her knees tucked under her chin as she rubbed her aching temples with her quivering fingers. Everything had gone wrong that night: from the awful play to her and Aang's less than pleasant encounter after she'd sought him out. Just the thought of it made her cringe and let out a frustrated grunt as she flopped onto her back, dropping her pillow onto her face and just wanting to disappear.

The fact that he had taken what the actors had said to heart and acted like a big baby over it was what had angered her. But when he'd confessed his feelings and confronted her about her own.. that was what had upset her. _He_ had upset her, and she had upset herself.

On one hand, she was irritated with him for deciding to kiss her after she'd said she was confused. She wasn't ready for a relationship just now – they had an upcoming war right around the corner, for spirits' sake! They had to be completely focused on that. Why do guys find that concept so hard to grasp?

But on the other.. she just felt so very guilty. And this was the much more prominent hand. He'd just been so desperate and sad, and had allowed himself to be completely vulnerable towards her while offering his naked heart. Things hadn't been the same between them since the pre-invasion kiss, and she had been determined to avoid the issue until things were a bit more sorted out.

But of course, he couldn't wait.

And she couldn't blame him.

It hadn't been fair of her to avoid the subject, even though this had been the first time it'd actually been brought up and addressed. Recently she'd caught him staring at her a lot more than usual – well, staring at her lips to be more specific. There had been awkward tension whenever they'd been alone together, and it was obvious they were both dancing around the subject.

As annoyed and angry as she was, she understood him, and knew he had a right to know what was going on. It's never easy when someone confesses such strong feelings to you, especially when you're not even sure if you can return them or not.

Still, she just wished that he could understand _her_. Their bond was built on this entire concept, and had continued to expand because of it. His sudden rashness and forwardness had been too much for her to cope with, and it wasn't her fault that she wasn't entirely sure of her feelings.

But despite this, she still felt guilty and depressed over the fact that their relationship would probably never be the same. The walk back from the play had been awkward considering they'd been trying to avoid each other, and their goodnights had been quick and uncomfortable. He couldn't even look her in the eye, and she hadn't wanted him to.

But he'd just looked so sad and defeated...

His expression began plaguing her mind, forcing her to suddenly sit up. She dropped the pillow on her lap and brushed a strand of hair out of her face, sighing loudly as she looked out of the window. The moon was enormous, and bathed the entire area in a lovely sapphire hue. It was a gorgeous island, she couldn't deny that, despite all the trouble it had caused.

Her eyes moved to her hands as they dropped into her lap. Thanks to the moonlight's glow she could see them easily, and watched them intently, frowning with frustration as she tried to gather her tangled thoughts.

Their relationship would probably never be the same unless they did something about it. And she wasn't just going to sit back and do nothing. It meant too much to her. _He_ meant too much to her.

Clenching her teeth and looking towards the door, Katara got to her feet and strode towards it, deciding that she would sort things out. It would be hard facing him again, but she couldn't deal with this lingering pain and awkwardness any longer. The polluted air surrounding them needed to be cleared, and their faltering friendship needed to be fixed before it had the chance to break.

She didn't even want to think about that. She knew she couldn't live without him, which was why she was so determined to sort everything out before it could get any worse.

When she left her room, she looked towards Aang's and made her silent way towards it, feeling surprised when she saw his door was open a crack. She pushed it open slightly and peered inside, finding it completely empty – well, besides a soundly sleeping Momo curled up on the covers.

Her brows knitted together as she wondered where he could've gone. She shut the door behind her as she turned and began looking for him.

* * *

No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't soothe his breathing. Every inhale was either too short or too drawn out, and every exhale was either too heavy or too stunted. He was trying so hard to completely relax himself, but it just wasn't working.

As long as _she_ was on his mind, relaxing wouldn't be possible. She had already been constantly filling his thoughts for a while, but after the previous events it had only gotten worse. And he was starting to resent her for it.

Why wasn't his heart good enough for her? She'd gone and made him fall hopelessly in love with her, and now she was pushing him away? He could probably offer her the entire _world_ and it still wouldn't be good enough.

His eyes shot open when he realised just what he was thinking, and wanted to punch himself for it. Such unfair and bitter thoughts weren't like him: especially when they were directed towards his friends. He shook his head from side to side before letting his face fall into his palms, rubbing his eyes and forehead as a deep and heavy sigh escaped his tired throat.

No, he didn't resent her. He couldn't. This wasn't her fault. He shouldn't have expected her to want the same things he did, and he shouldn't have forced his wants onto her. As long as she was his friend.. but now he didn't even think she was that anymore.

The thought made him groan with frustration as he bit back tears, rubbing his fingers into his arrow. Not only had he ruined the chances of them ever being together: he'd ruined their whole relationship, and that was much worse.

He loved her. She was his best friend, and he was in love with her. It was a pure and simple fact, and wasn't something he could ever change. She was his sanctuary; his angel; his whole world.. his reason for continuing forward. He'd found himself constantly thinking about her gorgeous eyes, hair and smile; the way she moved when she expertly bended water; the way she was always so kind and strong and brave and _amazing_ in every sense of the word... she just refused to escape his thoughts. Loving her was natural, as he'd imagined and hoped their deeper relationship would be.

But it never would be. And he'd lost one of the greatest people he'd ever known because of his own stupid thoughtless actions.

He felt lost without her. It was like his very being had been drained, leaving him feeling empty and barren. His heart was aching in his chest, shooting pains all across his body. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this awful. How he missed her. How he wished everything was okay, even though he knew that it really wasn't. And it was all his fault.

* * *

"Aang?"

Her voice broke right into his thoughts, shattering them like glass, pulling him back into reality. He hadn't imagined it this time. She was really there, standing right behind him.

He turned to look at her, before instantly flushing red and looking away. Must she always look so painfully beautiful: standing there in the sky's nocturnal glow with her hair down and flowing and her eyes sparkling in the starlight? It didn't make his heartache any more bearable.

"Hey, Katara.." he said quietly in a thick raspy voice, wondering what she was doing here. There was no doubt he was happy that she was, but at the same time it only brought all his pain and embarrassment back to the surface.

"Can I join you?" she asked, holding onto her arm and looking at the empty space next to him. He said nothing and only nodded, and she wasted no time in taking a seat next to him. Her arm brushed against his as she did so, causing him to shudder slightly. Her skin was so cold.

The air around them became silent as she rested her arms on her legs and looked up at the sky. Now that she was here, she didn't know what to say. Usually when she was with him, they could talk about anything and everything without second thought. But now there was this suffocatingly awkward atmosphere around them, and she was sick to death of it.

Finally he turned to look at her, and she could see all the pain so clearly in his silvery eyes. She didn't want to feel sorry for him, but when he looked at her like that.. she knew she had no choice.

"I'm sorry," he said quickly. "For what I said and what I did. I was stupid and wasn't thinking straight.. I shouldn't have put so much pressure on you."

"Yeah, you shouldn't have," she replied, trying to make the stern statement as soft and gentle as she possibly could.

He looked down at his still-crossed legs, his cheeks becoming a shameful scarlet as he avoided her stunning cobalt eyes. "I know I've ruined everything. It just got so crazy inside my head, and I became too pushy when I shouldn't have. You deserve better."

She shook her head, bravely reaching out and touching his shoulder with her hand. The soft sensation immediately got his attention, but he still didn't look at her: no matter how much he was enjoying her touch and was beginning to feel slightly comforted by it. But he was still feeling much too ashamed to meet her gaze.

"No, Aang. You've not ruined everything. I shouldn't have been so harsh with you."

"You had every right to be," he said firmly. "I was completely unfair towards you, and I'm so, _so_ sorry. I shouldn't have expected you to feel the same way about me just because of some stupid impulsive kiss."

Said pre-invasion kiss had been on her mind a lot recently. As unexpected as it had been, it was also immensely romantic, and completely unforgettable.

"It was still worth bringing up. I've been avoiding the subject, but you have a right to know how I feel. I just.. I wish you'd understand me better."

Those words made his whole body feel cold, and an unusual mixture of pity, guilt and anger suddenly rose up inside him. It was something he wasn't used to, and it was like a burning inferno was suddenly filling his already weak stomach.

"Well, I wish you'd understand _me_ better! I've never had to deal with such cold rejection before, and you suddenly decide to-"

"Now wait just a _second_," Katara's own angry voice suddenly rose up and cut him off, and she was looking at him with a wild blue flame burning within her eyes that completely took him off-guard. "That is NOT fair! I tried to be as gentle with you as possible, and it wasn't my fault you thought it'd be okay to kiss me again after I'd already said that I felt confused!"

She folded her arms and looked away from him, frowning deeply as she stared at the steps below, feeling hurt and irritated by his words.

He also realised just what he'd said, and the anger was quickly replaced with guilt as he continued to listen to her speak. "I didn't want to hurt you. Believe me, that's the last thing I'd _ever_ want to do. But you were completely out of line tonight, and now you're just being unfair and difficult. I'm sorry I'm not sure of my feelings just now and I'm sorry if that upsets you, but it's not like it's something I can help."

She closed her eyes as she let out a sigh, her lips quivering slightly as she placed her hand on her face and softly rubbed her cheek, trying to keep her composure.

"I didn't mean that, Katara. I know this isn't easy for you either, and I didn't have any right to say that."

"No, you didn't. But it's okay.. you're hurt because of me, I understand," she said softly, still not meeting his gaze even though he was looking at her quite intensely.

"It wasn't because of you. It was my own fault, and now I'm just making everything worse. I don't want to lose our friendship over this." His voice was less weak now, and sounded more determined and serious. It was enough for her to look at him again, and he was thankful for this, not allowing his silver gaze to waver.

"I don't want to lose it either. Not now, and not ever," she said, softening as he gave her a small smile.

"It's okay if you don't feel the same way. I do actually understand, and I don't want to put so much pressure on you. I get that you're confused, believe me I do.. I guess it all just built up and made me go crazy, and the awful play didn't help with that at all."

He was surprised when a small smirk suddenly appeared on her face. "Yeah, the play _was_ pretty awful. But that doesn't mean you should take it to heart," she said gently.

"You're right," he sighed, realising with a pang of embarrassment just how much he'd overreacted to it.

"Remember, that wasn't me, it was just an actress. And a bad one at that," Katara said in a more amused voice which rang right through his ears, causing a small smile to appear on his face. When she saw it, she began smiling too, for seeing him cheer up was always enough to cheer her up.

"At least yours was the right gender," he muttered, cringing when he thought about the awfully giddy bald woman pretending to be him on stage. At this, Katara covered her mouth with her hand, trying and failing to stifle a laugh. His smile only grew wider, and he began laughing with her.

Things weren't completely better yet, but the fact that they could laugh together meant everything to them. It felt so natural and right, bringing a comfort to them that nothing else could bring.

Their laughter eventually subsided, and they settled into a more relaxed quietness than before.

"Look, Aang.. I'm sorry I've not been thinking about my feelings as much as you have, but we really _do_ have other things to worry about. The war's really been the only thing on my mind because I'm just so worried about it. Mostly because I'm so worried about losing _you_."

The genuine tone in her voice caused him to look at her with surprise. "Losing me?" he asked, cocking his head.

She nodded. "Of course. Why is that so surprising?"

"I didn't realise you cared that much."

Her eyes widened, and she found herself wanting to slap her palm into her face in a similar fashion to how Sokka did whenever he heard something unbelievable or ridiculous. But she stopped herself for Aang's sake, and just stared at him in disbelief.

"Aang.." her voice was ever so quiet and soft, and her oceanic eyes became sad and confused as she stared at his genuinely confused expression. "How could you possibly not realise that? You mean the world to me, and I care about you so much. I need you, you give me hope."

Another blush tinted his cheeks as he took her sweet words in, giving her a small shy smile. "I need you, too," he replied gently. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her and how much she meant to him, and that she also gave him hope and kept him going.. but he was worried that'd be too much. His mouth had caused enough problems that night.

"Please, don't ever doubt that I don't. Just because I'm.. unsure of my feelings just now doesn't mean I don't care about you. Because I do. A lot. Probably more than I should."

Grey eyes widened and looked at her with such an immense amount of adoration, it almost left her breathless. Had he always looked at her like that? How had she not noticed before?

She smiled at him. "I _worry_ about you a lot more than I should, too.." she admitted with a blush, pushing a strand of loose hair out of her face with her graceful fingers. It was true that she could be a bit overprotective of him due to her motherly nature, and she was usually the first person to stand up for him whenever someone dared to doubt or insult him. Being there for him had become her role, and she'd made sure to comfort him even when he doubted himself. No one knew him like she did, and she was pretty sure no one cared about him in the way that she did. It was a selfish thought, but it was also one she truly believed.

"That's okay, I worry about you a lot more than I should as well," he said in a tone that matched his expression. She giggled softly at this, and once again he found himself staring at her, completely enamoured. Especially when she began playing with her hair once more as she turned away from him. It was just such a cute habit she had.

Katara looked at him then, a slightly amused smile once again dancing across her lips. "And for the record.. I do _not _think of you as a brother. Trust me, one's more than enough."

He looked at her with so much amusement and joy then that she was worried she'd gotten his hopes up, which was something she really wanted to avoid just now. But she let it slide and just enjoyed the sound of him chuckling at Sokka's expense.

"I love Sokka, but.. well, most of the time he's a pain in the butt," she said with a giggle, picturing her brother still passed out in the beach house, snoring his brains out.

Aang then stopped laughing and looked at her with an unsure expression. She grew curious yet worried at the same time as she waited for him to speak whatever was on his mind.

"So.." he started, his cheeks turning a shade of pink as he stared at the ground shyly. "How _do_ you think of me?"

It was a fair enough question, and luckily one that wasn't too hard for her to answer.

She smiled at him, and said, "like a best friend," with so much fondness in her voice that it caused him to instantly beam at her. The stunning night sky paled in comparison to the brilliance of his expression as it bounced off his misty eyes, causing them to glisten in the most beautiful manner.

"Like someone I can talk to about absolutely _anything_ with. Like someone I've learnt so much from and taught so much. Like someone who keeps me smiling no matter what. You're the Avatar, and my hero.. it's crazy how long I've been waiting for you. But I never expected you to become such a big part of my life." She was staring at her hands now, his wonderful expression becoming too much for her. "I'm glad you are. I'm glad you're here, and I'm glad we're friends. My whole life changed because of you, and I'm so happy it did."

The airbender had been rendered utterly speechless. Her words had seeped right through his brain and into his heart, causing it to sing. No one else had that effect on him, and he was certain no one would ever have that effect on him but her for as long as he lived.

The atmosphere once again became quiet around them. Katara was silently tangled in her thoughts, happily reminding herself just how much Aang meant to her and washing away all previous anger and hurt from her soul. While he still had a heavy blush covering his cheeks, still stunned from everything she'd just told him. Knowing that he'd made that much of a difference.. it was rather amazing. Often he wondered if his friends regretted travelling with him on his journey, because he knew he'd be lost without all of them. Knowing things like this.. it just meant more than words could ever say.

Everything was still quite fragile, but thanks to the unbreakable relationship they shared, it was slowly but surely being fixed and rebuilt. Just from being near each other. Just from speaking heart-filled words and sharing genuine laughter that meant absolutely everything. All pain and anguish had seemingly washed away, and now Aang was just feeling so full of pure clear love that it was taking his breath away.

"Katara.." he whispered, causing her to turn and look at him, their eyes instantly locking. Tears were slowly beginning to fill his as all his walls were slowly being knocked away, allowing her back in to his briefly constructed shell. Often he wore his heart on his sleeve, and thanks to tonight's events he wanted to keep it there. The play had all been forgotten, because it just didn't matter anymore. She was here. She didn't hate him. She was still his friend. Nothing else mattered.

Seeing the stray tears leak from his cheeks, Katara immediately took a gentle hold of his shoulders and pulled him to her in a loving embrace. His face leaned against her neck and he placed a hand on the one holding his shoulder. This was what he had needed. He'd happily sink into her forever if he could.

Soon she released him, and he wiped his face with his tattooed wrists. He was still feeling pretty overwhelmed, and avoided her gaze as she stared at him: her expression full of worry. A small, crooked smile pulled up the corners of his lips, causing her to softly smile back.

"Are you okay?" she asked in a concerned voice. He nodded slowly, sniffing.

"Yeah. Sorry. I just.. I wasn't expecting all that," he said sheepishly.

"Well, I hope you know it's the absolute truth." She softly placed a hand on his cheek, wiping any remaining tears away with her thumb. "I'm so glad we're friends."

"Me too.." he said, smile fading due to the seriousness in his voice, before his eyes fell shut as he relaxed into her hand. Her touch was so gentle and comforted him in the way it always had done without fail. Anything from a simple touch on the shoulder to a tight hug was enough to pull him out of whatever black hole he'd been falling into. She'd saved him so many times: mentally, physically, and spiritually. He'd be so hopelessly lost without her.

"Thank you for everything, Katara," he said, looking up at her again as she finally pulled her hand back. "You're welcome," she said, still smiling.

The two looked at each other for quite a while then: just staring into each other's eyes. It felt very intimate and almost a little awkward.. but they didn't care. They were both smiling, feeling happy with each other once again. Aang's eyes then lowered slightly, and she suddenly realised he was absent-mindedly staring at her lips. An uncomfortable heat instantly rushed through her body, and she was desperately hoping he wasn't thinking of kissing her again.

But of course, he was. And it felt both flattering and extremely awkward.

She could see why the moment would cause him to focus on that.. but at the same time, she wished he'd focus on where they were as opposed to where they could be. But she knew he couldn't control his feelings, and felt sorry for him. This couldn't of been very easy on his poor heart.

Things wouldn't be the same between them. She knew they'd come a long way from where they used to be, and that a lot had changed between them. A part of her wished they could go back to where they used to be, when things were so much simpler. Yet at the same time, she knew there was so much more to them, and she wanted there to _be_ more to them.

It was a horribly complicated thought, and she wished she was as sure of her feelings as he was of his. It was torture.

"So, is everything okay between us?" she asked, feeling a wave of relief when he removed his gaze from her mouth to look back into her eyes.

"I should be asking you that. I'm the one that ruined everything."

She thought about this for a minute. Nothing would ever be 100% okay between them if he still had these feelings for her that she couldn't return just now.

"Well.. I'm okay. Are you?"

He knew what she meant. She was asking for the sake of his feelings for her: for the sake of the fragile heart he'd offered her and she'd had to say no to.

Looking at her now: so beautifully breathtaking and wonderful in every way.. how he wished that his heart could belong to her. But at the same time, her friendship meant absolutely everything to him, and he wouldn't change it for anything in the world. Even if they were a couple, he knew he'd still see her as his best friend and his family.

"I don't want to lose everything we have just because I'm in love with you," he said, the sheer honesty of his words instantly sinking into her brain, catching her off guard. The way he'd said it like it was completely natural and obvious. Of course she already knew, but.. just hearing it was enough to turn her cheeks an embarrassingly bright pink.

"So, I'm okay as long as you're okay. I understand how you feel.. I just think next time we shouldn't keep things bottled up. Things always go wrong when people do that, don't they?"

Still trying to fathom that he'd just casually thrown out that he was _in love_ with her, Katara nodded in agreement, swallowing down a heavy lump in her throat.

"Definitely. I suppose everything in relationships are easy to talk about.. besides the relationship itself," she said with a soft chuckle.

To her utter joy, he also let out a few cheerful laughs. "Yeah," he said, staring into the space before them. "I'm just glad everything's been cleared up now."

She nodded in utter agreement. "There was _no way_ I was going to sleep after what happened earlier. Not without sorting everything out."

"Tell me about it. That's why I was out here trying to meditate."

She studied his position for a moment before nodding once again. "I'm just glad I found you out here trying to meditate," she said in an amused tone.

"Me too," he said, looking at her with an extremely sweet expression that only reminded her of what he'd just confessed to her. It hadn't even been a confession.. it had just been so casual and normal.. like loving her was casual and normal. Which was what being in love with someone should be like. How she wished she knew just what she felt for him.. this rut her heart seemed to be in was driving her crazy. Usually she was so sure of her emotions, and this was just making her feel weak: which was something she could not bear. The effect he had on her was almost too much for her.

His expression changed then, instantly catching her attention. He began nibbling on his lip, looking a little awkward and anxious. It was how he looked when he had something he wanted to say but was unsure if he should say it or not.

"What is it?" she asked, seeing right through him and wanting to know what was on his mind.

"I was just wondering... how do you feel about, um.. Zuko?"

Somehow she'd seen this coming. After all, it had been the actor Zuko her actor had been having a relationship with in the play. It irritated her, because it was quite a possessive question. Like she wasn't allowed to have feelings for anyone else. The question itself had been innocent and curious, but she knew there were deeper meanings behind it, and it definitely rubbed her the wrong way.

But she knew she shouldn't be annoyed with him for it. It was a fair enough question, and it clearly hadn't been easy to ask.

"He's a good friend, like Suki and Toph. Of course I don't feel as close to him as I do with them or you and Sokka, but.. I know I can trust him now, and I actually like having him around." She smiled a little, feeling a sense of pride for the Fire Nation Prince. He'd come a long way, just like all of them had.

Aang nodded, feeling a wave of relief fill his body. It was only natural he didn't want her to have feelings for the firebender, which only made him feel ashamed at how selfish he was being. But he couldn't help it.

Katara's expression became quite stern then as she responded to the root of his question. "Quite frankly, I don't have plans to fall in love with anyone just now. I have other more important things on my mind," she stated, frowning as she turned away from the Avatar next to her after noticing the obvious relief in his face. His eyes cast downward to the ground below, and he let out a sigh.

"It's not like it's something you can help."

These words sunk right into her, leaving a cold feeling circling her stomach. She once again felt sorry for him: especially after hearing the sadness in his voice.

It wasn't like he regretted loving her though. It was a warm and wonderful sensation that kept him going and had saved him numerous times: no matter how unplanned it had originally been. He just sometimes wished he didn't feel like that, because it would hurt a lot less and make things easier between them.

Unfortunately, he didn't think he'd ever be able to be rid of them. Not when it came to her. There was no one else like her: no one else who knew him like she did after everything they'd been through together.

She could only sigh and look at him with sympathy, once again taking pity on the tricky situation his heart was in. How she wished she could make everything okay and make him feel better like she used to, but this was just out of her hands. She hated feeling so powerless.

"Aang.." she whispered, causing him to look at her. This was so hard for both of them, and it wasn't about to get any easier. But she would do her best, for the sake of both their sanity and their relationship.

"Would it be okay if we don't worry about this stuff just now? You know, about love and romance and relationships.. and keep our focus on everything else? It's all so.. I'm just.. It's just that I'm not.."

"Confused? Not ready?" A slight smirked appeared on his face, pulling up the corner of his lips. She nodded shyly, relieved he understood her.

"Yes. Exactly."

His smirk transformed into a wide smile. "Definitely. Like you said, it's not something we should be worrying about just now. Not when we have a war right around the corner."

The way he spoke was so clear and genuine, and once again she was overwhelmed how he always seemed to have a deeper understanding of things than one would expect. It was something she'd always admired about him.

This time it was his turn to widen his arms, offering an embrace. She accepted without hesitation, turning to fully face him: the two properly hugging one another. She nuzzled into the welcoming warmth of his shoulder, gripping onto the silk fabric of his shirt with her fingertips. He buried his face into the softness of her loose hair, breathing in her lovely sweet scent, sighing contentedly as she began stroking his back.

And just like that, the two of them were home.

"I'm sorry I was so stupid," he said, feeling the need to apologise again.

"I'm sorry I ran out on you before we got a chance to talk more," Katara replied with a guilty sigh.

"No.. that was my fault. I shouldn't have kissed you. Again."

She couldn't argue with that. But now she was just too focused on the comforting warmth of his body heat to think of an appropriate response, enjoying the complete closeness between them. It just felt so right.

Of course he was also incredibly aware of the tight proximity between them, completely melting into her softness and scent, holding her curved back in his palms and clinging onto her. Soon enough they pulled apart and smiled at each other, feeling glad that all awkwardness between was slowly but surely sinking away.

"It's okay, Aang. I forgive you. Please stop worrying about it," she said, still keeping a hand on his shoulder and giving it a squeeze.

"I'll try my best," he said in a light tone. He was still feeling foolish and guilty, but he would try and stop worrying about it for both their sakes. Putting too much thought into these things was what had ruined everything in the first place.

Katara smiled, sweeping a strand of hair behind her ear, breathing out a tired but relieved sigh. Knowing their friendship wasn't on the line anymore was beyond reassuring. She looked at him with all the care and appreciation she felt for him, and he responded with a warm and loving smile.

"Well.. I'm glad we're okay. And that you're okay." She said, rubbing her cheek with her hand. The time was catching up to her body, and she realised just how tired she really was.

"I am. I'll be okay as long as you're okay.. especially after I act like a complete idiot to you." Considering how many times he'd been an idiot to her in the past, he was just lucky they were still friends: and this was something he'd never again take for granted.

She chuckled softly at this, catching him blush yet AGAIN. It was actually rather adorable. She nudged him with her shoulder, smiling warmly at him, wanting to relax him and let him know that it didn't matter anymore.

"Aang, please. It's in the past. We're fine now, alright?"

He smiled and gave a reassuring nod. "Alright."

Suddenly her mouth opened in a wide yawn, and she was quick to cover it with the back of her hand. "You should get some sleep, Katara," the young Avatar said softly, noticing just how tired she looked.

"You should too," she said with a smirk. He decided that now that the storm clouds in his head had finally been cleared.. he could probably finally get some rest. Especially considering that he was also now very aware of how exhausted he felt.

The waterbender rose to her feet, stretching her elegant body and breathing a heavy tired sigh out of her nose. Aang caught himself staring at her for a moment, before he realised that he was and quickly looked away, feeling his face burn up. Luckily she hadn't seemed to notice, and he wanted to punch himself for being so rude.. _especially_ after the conversation they'd just had.

"You coming?" she asked, once again receiving his attention. He looked up at her, noticing that she was now completely bathed in moonlight. She looked so stunning, and he had to mentally command himself not to lose himself again. Instead he quickly nodded and stood up next to her, feeling relieved to stretch his taught leg muscles.

The two of them walked back to the villa together in almost complete silence. It was a comfortable one though, as neither of them felt there was much more to say. Even though they both wanted to speak a thousand words to each other, they didn't have the time or the heart for it. At least they could walk close to each other without a lingering sense of dread or embarrassment now.

Soon they came to their bedrooms, and both were looking forward to a good night's sleep. Aang knew he had more vigorous training to do with Zuko tomorrow, and he knew the firebender wouldn't tolerate any tardiness or slacking. Which was fair enough. A decent rest was definitely more than required.

"Well, goodnight Aang. Sleep well." Katara said, smiling down at him.

"Night Katara," he replied, looking up at her with warmth in his misty eyes. The two quickly embraced once again before she headed into her room, looking back at him one more time with a sweet smile before closing the door behind her.

_I love you._

He sighed as he thought this, turning to head into to his own room and his awaiting bed. It wasn't a depressing thought, though.. if anything, it was a sobering one. A love that had grown and blossomed from the seeds of their unbreakable friendship. As well as being in love with her, he loved her as his closest and dearest friend, which only strengthened his feelings more.

He'd never give her up for anything in the world.

Everything between them was okay. That was all that mattered.

These very thoughts were what fuelled his dreams all night long, allowing him to finally have a good night's rest.


End file.
